BLOG: NY-21 Groups call on Stefanik to protect DREAMers

Several area groups — Citizen Action of NY, Indivisible, Working Families Party, MoveOn and others — held speak-out sessions outside Rep. Elise Stefanik's offices in Glens Falls, Plattsburgh and Watertown on Wednesday, calling on the congresswoman to stand-up for DREAMers.

The concerned constituents said because the temporary deal to end the federal government shutdown did not address the 800,000 DREAMers, they do not want them forgotten in upcoming budget talks.

According to a release, community members and activists want Stefanik and Congress to do their job, and ensure that ongoing Congressional budget negotiations do not neglect to:

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(4) comments

The emotional appeal does not address the issue. "Protecting" an average of 26 year old folks is not the top priority. Besides, the President only acknowledged what he previous President said - he had ZERO authority to create DACA. If challenged in court, it would fail. Not all should be allowed to stay. Many need to be shown the exit. It is a far greater issue than "Dreamers".

Please explain how establishing policy (addressing and protecting DACA/Dreamers) has anything to do with budgets?

Yes we need to fix immigration and address the Dreamer/DACA problem. Just as there are many other problems that should be fixed. Yet budget talks are about money, not policy.

There should not be any talk about not passing budget spending bills, continued funding resolutions etc without protecting DACA. They are two separate items. The only reason, I can see, for Democrats to insist on DACA as part of any continued funding resolution, is they think that Congress and the President will not allow a government shutdown and be willing to agree to anything to prevent one.

Hopefully the Democrats have realized that while a majority of the country does want a resolution to the DACA/Dreamer problem, not at the expense of shutting down the government again.

Congress needs to stop playing chicken with people's lives and do their jobs. Negotiate a DACA/Dreamer solution separate from any continued spending resolutions.

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